Foot grip for invalids



Nov. 24', 1925.

- S. S. JENKINS FOOT GRIP FOR INVALIDS Filed Ma Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES STANLEY S. JENKINS', 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FOOT GRIP FOR INVALIDS.

Application filed May 14, 1923. i Serial No. 638,691.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, STANLEY S. JENKINS, aeitizen of the United States, residingrat Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot Grips for I nvalids, of which the following is a speciiication.

Bed-ridden invalids require for comfort I frequent changing of their position in the bed, and various mechanical appliances have been devised for supporting the invalids knees in elevated position to relieve the tedium of lying prone for extended periods. Unless some provision is made for retaining the knees in elevated position, it is iinpossible for very weak patients to lie upon their back with their feet drawn up, for the reason that the weight of the bed clothes and the weight of the legs themselves cause the patients heels to slip on the lower sheet, tending to straighten out the legs, which can be maintained in elevated position only with considerable effort.

My present invention aims to provide a device by which the patients heels may be prevented from slipping on the sheet, thereby enabling him to maintain his feet in drawn up position without exertion and im without the employment of cumberson supports or appliances, which in many instances contribute toward the discomfort of the patient; and furthermore, my device elimi nates the production of sores on the patients heels, which frequently result from pro longed slipping of the heels over the sheets.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated on the accompanying drawings preferred l embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the principles of my invention and many of its inherent advantages should be readily appreciated.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates the manner in which my invention is used;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the application of my invention to an invalids foot;

Fig. 3 is a face view of the grip shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows a grip of modified shape;

Fig. 5 illustrates the employment of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on 6-6 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a similar view of another form of the invention. A f

My invention contemplates the provision of a grip or pad, capable ofbeing attached to the foot, and preferably to the bareheel, of an invalid, the grip having roughened outer face Aso as to impart to it frictional qualities, which will cause the same to ad here to the bed sheet, and thereby prevent slipping of the patients feet. lVhile the grip may be made of emery cloth, sandpaper, or the like, I have shown, for illustrative purposes, in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6 a grip 8 comprising a disk made of suitable flexible material, preferably of rubber and fabric composition, corrugated or otherwise roughened on its outer face, as indicated at 9, and provided for Ventilating purposes with a series of apertures 11. The grip is adapted for direct application to the patients heel, and a preferred provision for attach'- ment comprises a layer 12 of suitable ad-A hesive, disposed upon the inner face of the grip, and by which the grip may be atlixed directly to the bare heel. This adhesive may be applied to the grip in spaced spots, or may be spread over the entire inner surface of the grip, and preferably possesses inherent antiseptic properties, and may, for instance, for this purpose comprise as one of its constituents Zinc oxide. rIhe apertures 11 provide for air circulation in order that the skin of the heel may not be injured by long application of the grip thereto. The grip preferably has a textile fabric inner face to prevent direct contact of the rubber with the skin, and is preferably concavoconvex in cross-section to lit the contour of the heel, as shown.

The grio may be made in various forms, and in F 1g. i the grip 13, instead of being circular in contour, is somewhat elliptical in shape; otherwise it is substantially like that shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the grip 14 as attached to the heel by a string or tape 15, tied over the instep. In some instances this, or a strap and buckle, or a button, may be preferable to the use of an adhesive for holding the grip in position.

In Fig. 7 a slightly modified form is disclosed wherein the grip 15 is somewhat c oncavo-convex in cross-section, adapted to actlie line commodate in the concavity a pad 16 of cotton or material adapted to be interposed between the heel and the grip. In this instance, the grip is attached to the heel by adhesive 17 applied only to the margins of the grip.

The structure, method of use, and the advantages of my invention should be apparent without further description, and obviously, the size, shape and structure may be varied within Considerable limits without exceeding the scope of the invention, as defined lin the appended claims..

I claim:

1. A foot grip for invalids, comprising a gripping element formed of flexible material roughened on its outer face for .engagement with a relatively slippery surface and provided with Ventilating perforations, and

means whereby said element may be securely attached to the bare heel of an invalid.

2. A foot grip for invalids, comprising, a gripping element shaped to conform to a portion of a human foot and roughened on its outer surface so as tocling to a rela* tively smooth surface, and means on the inner surface of said element whereby it may be secured to the foot.

3. A foot grip for invalids comprising, a gripping element of friction-al material adapted to be positioned over a portion of the sole of an invalids foot, and a plurality of means for securing said material to the vfoot against relative displacement with respect to the sole of the foot, whereby slippage of the foot :upon a bed sheet is prevented.

' STANLEY S. JENKINS. 

